In today’s cut-throat competition, your brand is one of your biggest strengths that you must not afford to lose. However, the popularity of a specific name, logo or catchy slogan is just not sufficient. Nevertheless, it is advisable to register a trademark as the only way of protecting it from being infringed. Besides giving legal protection, it also gives added authority to your brand and safeguards your business from imitation or copying.
The basic advantage of registering a trademark is that the name or symbol stays unique and will be set apart from other brands. In this article, we will get acquainted with why TrademarkIndia is the best platform for the registration of a trademark, what are the advantages of registration of such rights, and how to do this.
What is a Trademark?
Trademark refers to the sign, image, name, logo or slogan that you use to market your products or services and those of your competitors. It offers full control to the owner, and the right to sue anyone who uses it without the owner’s permission.
A trademark is, therefore, the way through which your brand is easily recognizable. It assists customers to identify your products or services in a pool of similar products or services. However, that trademark can only help guard your brand in part and may not necessarily suffice; hence, you have to register for it.
The Importance of Registering Your Trademark
Legal Protection: Trademarking entitles you with the legal power to stop other individuals or companies from using your business name and logo or any catchy phrase associated with it without seeking your permission. Trademark protection means that one can switch errant provokers to court and defend one’s brand reputation. In India, the TrademarkIndia platform makes it easy for clients to acquire their trademarks by helping them in the following ways.
Exclusive Rights: A trademark once registered gives the owner exclusive control over the use of the trademark. When it comes to a business logo, slogan or brand name, its registration makes it impossible for any other business in the same line of production to use it. This also assists in preventing confusion within the marketplace because the customer will be in a position to determine which brand they are dealing with.
Building Brand Recognition: They are the features and attributes that your brand associates with or with your products or services. This means that a trademark guarantees the association of your brand with your products without any form of confusion. This recognition usually culminates in customer loyalty and more often than not, trust.
Global Trademark Protection: In the case of businesses to venture into other countries, registration of a trademark is mandatory. Trademark not only preserves your brand in your country but can also assist in gaining international protection. TrademarkIndia can assist you with the steps to take regarding seeking International registration through treaties such as the Madrid Protocol.
Increasing Brand Value: A registered trademark as a form of protection of the company’s brand also brings value to the brand. For the target clients and potential investors, trademarks are a reflection of the professional approach and market positioning of the company. In case you are planning to lease your business or expand, then your trademark will have high added value.
Advantages of Trademark with TrademarkIndia
Ease of Process: This poses a very big problem for TrademarkIndia to ensure that businesses register their trademarks as simply as possible without complications. This way you can also verify whether the trademark that you want to register is available and you can apply through the internet.
Cost-Effective: TrademarkIndia provides reasonable prices for its services of trademark registration, so it will effectively tackle both large and small enterprises, developing companies, all the way through to large corporations.
Expert Guidance: Trademark registration is not a very simple process, but TrademarkIndia is always with you as a consultant; it will help you select the right class for your trademark and also has experts to reply to objections.
The Risks of Not Registering Your Trademark
Risk of Imitation: Thus, in case of not registering your trademark the competitors might imitate the identity of your brand. This could result in customers switching over to other brands, a decline in sales as well a loss of consumer confidence. At times the infringing party may have registered the trademark long before you and this means you stand to spend a lot of time and money in defending your rights.
Legal Disputes: In other words, it becomes hard to see legal redress against infringement if you or your organization does not have a registered trademark. You would have to rely on the judicial remedies at the common law level which are far from powerful and rather jurisdiction-dependent than the protection given to the registrative trademarks.
Missed Opportunities: A registered trademark offers the possibility of granting a license where one can permit other companies to use the given trademark in return for a price. Opening the door for your competition to possibly take a piece of your pie is something that you would not want to happen especially when you do not have the trademark.
Confusion in the Market: If not properly protected, other business entities are open to adopting similar names or logos to that of your business to confuse your clients. Trademarking your brand helps in making sure that your business is unique and your reputation is well protected.
How to Register a Trademark with TrademarkIndia
1. Search for Existing Trademarks
It is recommended to make sure that the brand name or logo that is to be trademarked is distinct. TrademarkIndia offers you a free search tool that enables you to search for any existing trademarks that may be similar to your intended trademark.
2. Choose the Right Class
India’s registration of trademarks is divided into 45 classes or categories depending on its business nature. TrademarkIndia also assists you in determining an appropriate class for your trademark application.
3. File the Application
Next time when you are searching and looking for the right class to register, the next process is to file the trademark application. While with TrademarkIndia this process is rather easy, with the clear and informative online platform for application and monitoring of the application.
4. Examination and Publication
After filing, your application will be reviewed by the Trademark Registry so that they can assess the application and provide their approval. If there are no objections then your trademark will be published in the Trademark Journal. This step enables anyone within a stipulated period to give reasons why the registration should not be done.
5. Registration
In case of no opposition, your trademark is registered and you will be issued a registration certificate. Congratulations, your trademark is now legal under Indian law.
How Long Does Trademark Protection Last?
A trademark which is registered in India has a validity of 10 years. However, it can be renewed every 10 years by making a payment of the renewal fee so that it may never expire. This means that a trademarked brand can receive endless legal protection provided that the owner keeps on updating his/her trademark.
Conclusion
Trademark registration is further considered a major process when it comes to establishing as well as safeguarding your brand. It affords legal certainty, and anti-competition, and improves the standings of your company in the market. Without it, there are chances that the reputation of the brand might be steered out of the company’s control. In this regard, automated online platforms such as TrademarkIndia have provided the best solution by making it easier, economical, and accessible to all players in the business world.
